What to Pack in Hospital Bag

The idea for the site about what to pack in hospital bag came to me about the time of our daughter was born.  I thought it would be useful to publish our thoughts so others can enjoy.

What to pack in hospital bag is a question that is on the lips of every expectant mother when the due date is looming.  Everything is in place such as a decorated nursery, a car seat, mosses basket and even a wardrobe stocked with fresh baby clothes ready for the new arrival.  The due date maybe only a few days away and normally a few days will pass quickly without incident but these few days may be the hardest yet most rewarding of your life.  Are you prepared?

With everything organised and the trip to hospital only days or hours away there is only one thing left to do, but first you must ask yourself, what to pack in hospital bag?

The hospital bag is your lifeline while in hospital and a poorly packed one maybe the thing that makes your hospital stay unbearable.  A well prepared hospital bag on the other hand may make sure your stay is comfortable and enjoyable making the lives of mother to be and baby more comfortable.

As a new dad I did not know the importance of the hospital bag until I witnessed it first hand.  My partner would ask me what I wanted in the bag and my natural response was not sure, do they have a vending machine at the hospital, I can always pop to Tesco.  These answers annoyed my partner and sure enough I now know why they did.  She wanted to leave for hospital prepared for every eventuality and what I though was excessive I now know it was a brilliant idea.

All births are different and some hospital stays are short, others are long (ours was over 7 days).  One thing I did learn that being prepared made our stay more enjoyable and less stressful. The small piece of planning of what to pack in hospital bag saved us a whole lot of stress.

My experience of becoming a dad and watching a week in the life of the maternity ward of Wythenshawe Hospital has prompted me to launch this website and share with you what I found useful to help pass the time and make you and your partners stay in hospital enjoyable.

For me the week I spent 12 hours per day with my partner turned out to be one of the most stressful yet rewarding times of my life so far and I am so glad my partner made sure we prepared and kept asking me what to pack in hospital bag.  The bag sat close to the front door for a number of days all primed and ready to be picked up when needed.

This site is split in to three areas and I will look at what to pack in hospital bag for mothers who in my experience are the most important, fathers and of course your little bundle of joy.   I have also added a section of what not to pack and also what to have in you pocket which I hope will be invaluable for your stay be it long or short.

You may choose to pack three hospital bags and that is fine but one thing is for sure that when choosing what to pack in hospital bag is a very important decision.  If you were to write 10 things down on a piece of paper when asked the question about packing the bag that you are going to take to hospital for the event of your life, I wonder what they would be?

What to Pack in Mums Hospital Bag?

This stay in hospital will take its toll of mum and it is important that you are prepared for all eventualities.  Dads and birthing partners need to remember that if you don’t take it with you, you may not get a chance to get it.  Often popping to the local supermarket is out of the question when your wife or partner is 5cm dilated, screaming in pain and wants a boiled sweet to suck on.  Or she is screaming in pain and you have left you Tens pain relief machine at home then it is often too late.  You must be over prepared and think about every eventuality when planning what to pack in hospital bag for mummy.

What to Pack in Hospital Bag for Daddy (or birthing partner)?

Your wife or partner may be lying in bed in a huge amount of pain or if she is in the early stages or even waiting to be induced.  Each scenario can often mean a lot of waiting around and often feeling like a spare part.  You must remember that you can be called upon at any time to help and support in child birth so it’s important that you are prepared and refreshed after a long ort short wait.  Think carefully about what to pack in hospital bag.

What to Pack in Hospital Bag For Baby?

You have been waiting nine months for your bundle of joy to arrive and after what may be one of the most stressful yet most amazing times in your life you need to be prepared.  Your little boy or girl has needs as soon as the appear in this world so being ready for what is in store is very important.

Mums and dads to be must be thinking about what to put in hospital bag from a very early stage in the pregnancy as things can start expectantly.  Having things ready for all concerned is reassuring and comforting so you can enjoy the events unfold.  A little thing now may become a large thing at a time when even leaving the birthing room is a big no-no.  You must be at the side of your partner or certainly within easy reach in order to make sure she is catered for.

After all this talk of what to put in hospital bag I have also compiled a list of things not to pack in hospital bag, things I found I didn’t need and things that just were not appropriate.

I hope you like the information I have provided and above all I hope you find it useful.